One of the coolest things about being a general music teacher is that you get to teach every student in your schools. This means you also get to influence the way a LOT of kiddos develop and how they think about the world. You may not always see the impact you’re having on your students’ thoughts and ideas, but as you know, music can change the world.
Earth Day is right around the corner, and this global event can be especially impactful for your kiddos, because even your littlest ones can be taught to make small changes in their everyday lives that can have big consequences. Earth Day is observed on April 22nd, and its sole purpose is to emphasize the way we take care of our environment, from curbing littering to planting more trees, to finding ways to prevent pollution.
Earth Day began following a massive oil spill in 1969 in Santa Barbara, CA. U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson was appalled at the devastating effects of this oil spill and began trying to gain support for environmental protection. He teamed up with congressman Pete McClosky, and together they created an environmental teaching day. This first event took place on April 22, 1970, and more than 20 million people participated in this event.
“Earth Day led to the foundation of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as well as, the eventual passage of the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, and the Endangered Species Act.” Check out this article to find out more.
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As you know, Mother Earth is the only habitat we have, that is, until we figure out how to survive on other planets. So NOW is the time to start talking to your kiddos about how to take care of her. You know better than anyone that music is one of the best ways to teach children. This event is so important for your students, that I thought we’d get a jump on the planning for it! That’s why today, we’re going to talk about 3 ways to celebrate Earth Day in your Music Classroom.
- Introduce your Earth Day events with a storybook – One of the best ways to introduce your Earth Day activities is with a storybook, and I have the perfect one! Earth Dance, by Joanne Ryder, is a fantastic story all about the beauty and majesty of Mother Earth. The illustrations are colorful and fun, and there is organic movement throughout the storybook.
You can find my lesson plan for Earth Dance, along with some extension activities, movement music, and some planning pages in my resource book of lesson plans, Stories That Sing. I created this resource book for busy music teachers who want to include storybooks but don’t have time to create them. Included in this resource book are 16 other storybook lessons, complete with EVERYTHING you’ll need to teach the activities. You can buy Stories That Sing right on my website.
- You can continue teaching your Earth Day event through song – You know that the best way to teach children is through song. So what better way to continue your celebration than with a fantastic version of He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands? I love Daria’s version, and last year, I created some fun, silly movement to accompany this golden oldie. Your kiddos can use inflatable globes, bouncy balls, or basketballs to learn the movement. Check out all the goodies below from Daria!
- Earth Day Song Movement & Music
- Earth Day Song Video
- Earth Day Song Free Lyric Page
- Earth Day Song Video in Spanish
- Earth Day Song Free Lyrics in Spanish
- Earth Day 5 R’s mini poster freebie
- Want a little more? I know, there’s so much goodness already, but you might need a little more. I recently discovered The Music Teacher Store on TPT, and I’m totally in love! Check out some Earth Day resources from this fabulous music teacher
If you’re looking for some activities outside the music classroom, check out this article: https://www.bing.com/search?q=how%20can%20we%20celebrate%20earth%20day&pc=0ATS&ptag=C1N229D011818AA6B84BBD86&form=CONBDF&conlogo=CT3210127
Earth Day is one of the most important events that happens during the school year, because it’s essential to teach the next generation how to take care of our home, Mother Earth. I hope you enjoy these resources, and don’t forget to check out my Private Facebook Group for more info on how to include storybooks in your music classroom, and so much more.